The Slytherin Diaries
by Lady Disdain
Summary: Harry Potter's fifth year...told through the eyes of a fourth year Slytherin. Harry's acting weird, Draco's acting weird, and Ginny's acting like Ginny. Possible r/h with lotsa other romances. PG-13 for swearing only.
1. Chapter One: Those Hot Nasty Summer Days...

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Through the corridors of sleep 

Past the shadows dark and deep 

My mind dances and leaps in confusion. 

I don't know what is real, 

I can't touch what I feel 

And I hide behind the shield of my illusion. 

So I'll continue to continue to pretend 

My life will never end, 

And flowers never bend 

With the rainfall. 

The mirror on my wall 

Casts an image dark and small 

But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection. 

I am blinded by the light 

Of God and truth and right 

And I wander in the night without direction. 

So I'll continue to continue to pretend 

My life will never end, 

And flowers never bend 

With the rainfall. 

-Simon and Garfunkel, "Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall"

**The Slytherin Diaries:** Those Nasty Summer Days Right Before School Starts 

Wednesday, August 19 __

Dear Diary, 

I have two confessions to make. Well, three, but I don't think you'd be intrested in hearing about how I broke my brothers leg. Really, it wasn't my fault! He knew I was on Sam's 'experimental' broom and that I couldn't steer that well. But he just had to fly right in front of that muggle basket we were using as a goal, just as I was trying to score. Actually, it was all pretty funny. He kinda looked at me like 'Why is she flying straight at me?' and when I didn't stop he inched his broom over to one side. Then to the other, and the other and then BOOM! Sam really needs to work on the steering charm for his broom. Well, maybe it didn't help matters that I dropped our usual quaffle in Mrs. Black's garden last week, and she wouldn't give it back so we had to use a bowling ball instead. And that I was holding it as far out in front of me as I could. But Mrs. Black fixed him right up (he landed in her garden-I wish she had given me the quaffle back instead of my brother). Mum says she was the Hogwarts nurse before Madam Pomfrey. Well, I don't think anyone could be as good a nurse as Madam Pomfrey, but she fixed Niles right up. And she made me wait with this huge black mutt she just got that kept looking at me pleadingly for food. Not that he looked like he needed any more food, he really was gigantic. But cute all the same. And I don't even like dogs. I've always been a cat person. Course Mum won't get me one. She says they're pesky. But of course she got Niles the toad he wanted for his first year at Hogwarts. Well, that was actually a celebratory "healing-the-leg-that-your-sister-broke (I did not!)" present, but still. 

Now that I think about it, I really only have one confession to make. But there were two events that made me realize it. 

You haven't met my brother Sameth, but the two of us used to compete...a lot. About everything. His black hair, my brown hair. His blue eyes, my green eyes. His Hufflepuff house, my Slytherin. 

He was a sixth year when I started Hogwarts, on the Hufflepuff house team and everything. No Cedric Diggory, mind you, but quiet and liked by everybody. Except, of course, the Slytherins. They didn't like anybody who wasn't a Slytherin. Sam used to come home every summer and complain "Marcus Flint did this, that brat Malfoy did that." I used to hate Slytherin, and all I knew about it was one of the four houses at Hogwarts. I thought I would be a Hufflepuff, or a Ravenclaw, or even a Gryffindor and find my arch enemy in a Slytherin. Everybody needs an arch enemy. Otherwise, they'll end up hating themselves. 

I was so excited when I went to Hogwarts! My brother even let me sit with him and the rest of the prefects on the train (there wasn't a single one from Slytherin that year) and introduced me to people like Percy Weasly and Cedric Diggory. Important people. I decided I wanted to be exactly like them, people the whole school looked up to. 

And I remember what that blasted hat said, word for word. 

"Hmmm...I had a similiar case last year...greatness vs. goodness. Of course it's possible to be both." 

"I want to be great!" The tiny first year told the hat firmly in her mind, her brown pigtails shaking with excitement. 

"Oh, very well. SLYTHERIN!" 

The girl froze rigidly, her hair stopping midswing like hands of a clock that had suddenly stopped time. McGonagall had to yell at her to get off the stage before she walked off. She couldn't have told you how she found her way to Slytherin, but all of a sudden she was there. The one thing she did remember was the shocked look on her older brother's face. Her face, on the other hand, had a blank, unfeeling expression. It was as though everything, the past eleven years of her life, were flying through her head at an amazing speed and blurring into this one, single void in her mind and eyes. 

She couldn't recall sitting down, but she would never forget who she sat next to. She had just buried her pale face in stiff hands when a sneering face topped by blond hair and icy blue eyes turning to her. 

"First years sit over there." Was all he said. The girl shivered. She knew exactly who she had sat next to. __

My brother cut back on his comments about Slytherin, but every time I talked to him, I could feel his loathing... 'My sister is in Slytherin!'_ And I hated him for it. One day I just exploded at him, yelling all the meanest, nastiest things I could about him and his housemates. I felt this surge of empowerment, what my Mum calls the we-they syndrome. Bonding by exclusion. Our argument filled one of the busier corridors. Slytherins congratulated me, everyone else shot me dirty looks. And I felt great. _

But Sam finished last year, and I had a whole year without an arch rival. All my anger at him dissolved. Or at least I think it did, but I realized that in the long run, it doesn't matter what house you're in. I hate to admit this, but I think I was jealous. I didn't even like my own housemates, and I couldn't figure out why the Thinking Hat had put me there. Am I just a bad person? Wait, don't answer. So I guess my confession comes down to this: I hate my house. I have no house pride. And given the choice, I would switch into any other house. 

Oh, yeah, and I'm in love with Harry Potter. 

~Camilla Alassandra Falco (Otherwise known as Andi, or BirdBrain, or that annoying swamp eyed mud haired girl that's in my way)

Sat, Aug 22 

_Dear Diary, _

Is it possible to miss someone you've never even met? I've never met my father. It's not that I miss him, the person, I just miss having a father. Maybe I'm feeling sorry for myself, but it's something I think about at the weirdest moments. Like at school, when Malfoy's complaining as loudly as he can about his father, and then adding some snide remark in my direction like "Well, at least I know who my father is." I think he knows something I don't. How else could he know I don't know who my father is? I've never told anyone that. All Mum every says is that he left the same day I was born. Sam was five at the time, and he says he remembers Dad a bit. But I don't at all. It took me til I was ten (complete with a mind that had just been educated about sex) to realize that if Dad had left when I was born, then either Mum was lying or Neil wasn't my real brother. And since everyone kept telling my that I looked so much like my brother (complete with horrible bushy eyebrows) I figured that Mum wasn't telling the truth. It took me three whole days of thinking (something that should be avoided at all costs--as the muggle Shakesword said, "Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous." I passed Muggle Studies, by the way.) to get up the courage to confront Mum. And she gave me the same reply as always! Well, not quite. She said, "He had to leave the day you were born." Not just "he left" but "he had to leave." That gave me terrific fantasies for a week about my long lost father returning after years of being a spy for the Ministry, or being an ambassador to Lebanon, or something equally romantic. Then he still didn't come, and I gave up. But I'd still like to have a Dad. 

Mrs. Black brought over her dog again today. He started eating my essay for Professor Binns ("Witch Burning and Dumb Muggles"). I guess that was his way of telling my it was a load of crock and that I should start over. I'm inclined to agree. Especially since I only had one sentence, and it read "Muggles were extremely dumb to burn witches." Usually I do so well in all my classes. But I haven't been motivated at all this summer. All I want to do is have fun and relax. Though things are getting kinda boring around here. I used to be friends with everyone here, but we've grown apart since I got accepted into Hogwarts. How could I explain that Quidditch is much more fun than soccer, and that they'd never complain about they're dog again if they'd ever had to take care of a Blast-Ended Skewball or what ever things were called? Or what it's like to meet a dragon for the first time? 

I know, I know what you really want to know is why I, one of the Dark Artsie Slytherins, am in love with Harry Potter, whose only defeated "our" fearsome leader several times. Actually, you probably don't care. But I'm going to tell you anyways cause I have no life out here. Then again, I have no life at school either. Damn. But on to my horribly romantic story. 

Oh, never mind, Mum's calling me for dinner. Damn again. 

_aN**d**__I_

P.S. Do you think this signature works? I'm too lazy to write my whole long name. 

Tues, Aug 25 

Dear Diary, 

You know, this whole "Dear Diary" stuff really isn't working for me. I mean, who says that? So I'll have to give you a name. Then I can say 'Hey, so-and-so' instead of that same lame phrase. 

So now I have to figure out what to call you. Let's see. Well, my mom gave me the diary for my birthday last month, but I can't name you after my mom. Hey, Mom, or Hey, Elizabeth really doesn't work for me. 

So who else? I've never met my grandmother, and besides, her name was Alassandra. How weird would it be to talk to your middle name each day? And my great-grandmothers name was Camilla, so that obviously doesn't work. Plus, she kinda disowned Mum. Mum used to live with her grandmother a lot, because her parents were always traveling all over the world on Ministry business. They died only a few months after she graduated Hogwarts. Mum decided to follow their footsteps and work in the Department of Mysteries. I think that's when she and great-grandma got into this huge row and haven't spoken since. I think great-grandma's still alive. Though I'm not sure if Mum would know-or care-if she died. 

Mum transferred over to the Department of International Magical Cooperation after that. After my father left, that is. Aunt Chiasma let it slip once that he worked with her in the Department of Mysteries, and it was because he left that she switched. 

Now Chiasma is a possibility. Actually, it's perfect. She isn't actually my aunt, she's my great aunt. She married my grandmother's brother Sameth. Great-grandma Camilla dissapproved of her, too, and I think that's why she and Mum get along so well. She used to visit all the time, and then this summer she just dissappeared. I think Mum knows where Aunt Chiasma went, but she isn't telling. 

So I think it's time to start over. 

Hey, Chiasma, 

Okay, doesn't work for me. Let me try again. 

Hello, Chiasma, 

Goddamnit!!! 

Dear Chiasma, 

Well, it's better than Dear Diary at least. It'll have to do. 

But now I'm so stressed out about figuring out who to write, I don't think I'm going to tell you about my fabulous day. Or my horribly boring day, but I'd rather let you think I have a life. Oops too late. Oh well. Sorry, Chiasma (does that sound weird?) 

But you don't get to here about Harry Potter, either. 

~Camilla Alassandra Falco (Back to the regular signature) 

Wed, Aug 26 

Wednesday, Aug 26 

Dear Chiasma, 

Do you think I should write Wed, or Wednesday? I'm betting you don't care all that much. Who else spends this much time worrying about the format of their diary? It's not like I'm a perfectionist. Actually I am, I'm just an imperfect perfectionist. I like to make whatever I can perfect, but after a few tries I usually give up. My rooms a total mess, my grades are good but not great, and my quidditch game varies in style on a day to day balance. So I figure if I can make this one small diary absolutely perfect, it'll make up for everything else. Maybe. 

Sameth added more powerful steering charms to is broom (he's already given it a name; the "Hippogriff" after a certain class he had back in seventh year). Unfortunately, he also added a much more powerful acceleration charm. I went flying into my brother again. This time Niles only twisted his wrist. Actually, that wasn't cause I went flying into him. Mrs. Black took the bowling ball after the last incident, but her dog stole one of those muggle 'hammers' that they throw in the Limping Games. Where he got it, I have no idea. So when I went flying into Neil, the chain twisted around my brothers wrist. And then I kinda let go by accident. I returned the hammer back to Mrs. Black while she was fixing up my brothers wrist. She wasn't pleased at all. 

Her sister Mrs. Figg was there too, today. Mrs. Black said she'd stopped by to have tea, but I peaked into the living room and saw a bunch of files floating over the coffee table. They looked like personal files, but her lamp started screeching at me so I didn't get to see any of the names. Well of course I was intrigued. And I'd only caught a glimpse of Mrs. Black's sister when she apparated downstairs to give her sister an "Can't you get rid of these annoying kids look?", so I wanted to get a better look. I tried sneaking upstairs, but that pesky dog got in the way. I'm thinking I'm going to sneak back over tonight. 

You know, when I said I was in love with Harry Potter, I think I was just bored. You know when you fall in love, just cause you have nothing better to do. It was something like that. And my horribly romantic story boils down to is hedroppedhisglassesandIpickedthemupandwebumpednosesandmalfoyteasedmeforaweek. Not that it matters, cause Malfoy always teases me. But that girl Harry's always with (Rita Skeeter said they're in love, but who believes her?) went out of her way to be nice to me after that. Or at least not glare at me or punch me like she does to other Slytherins. Come to think of it, she's kinda a bully. So it's a good thing she likes me. I think. 

Well, I think I'm definitely going to go sneaking around tonight. So I guess that means I should stop writing now. Bye. 

~Andi 

Camilla Alassandra, or Andi, as she preffered to be called, looked at the green ink before her with a smile. Why she was smiling, she couldn't have said, but she was pleased all the same. 

Her room was very messy, with robes liying in heaps and several brooksticks pushed under her bed. The bed wasn't made, the drawers were overflowing, books were spread across the floor. And her hair was quite knotty. Well not knotty, but a bit tangled. Glasses were perched on top of a slightly nesty head, small green ones that matched her eyes. She took them off and stared at them for a moment in disgust. Then she sent them spinning across the room to land on a mountain of clothing, and slid off her bed with a sigh. Her mother had long ago promised to have her eyes magically fixed, and it still hadn't happened. 

"Broomstick, black clothes, omnicorder. Did I miss anything?" Andi ran a hand through her hair. Or tried to. "Oh, yeah, a witchlight. No, the omnicorder does it's own thing in the dark. So no witchlight." 

She dug through several piles until she found a satisfactory black robe with long sleeves and a hood. Because she was feeling slightly adventurous, she decided to put on high black boots. 

"Of course," she said sourly to herself. "Spying is a very Slytherin thing to do. 'Do you want to be good or do you want to be great?'" Andi mimicked the thinking cap half-heartedly. "Great, I said. Great." 

"Andi?" Her brother was peering into the doorway, looking abashed and almost cautious. "You're not still hung up about the Slytherin thing, are you?" He looked at her pleadingly, begging her to say no. 

So he doesn't have to feel bad for always making me feel inferior, Andi thought viciously. She had learned about lots of different types of Dark Magic Monsters in her classes. But not even Proffessor Lupin had taught her how to deal with Jealousy. 

Sam was cute. Sam was smart. Sam was liked by everybody. He worked hard at the Ministry everyday, taking the long commute without complaint and still having the energy to exercise his creative spirit on his broomsticks every night. He and a few of his friends had even started their own band and preformed every now and then at the Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks and places like that (most of their audience was usually drunk, but the fact still remained that they had an audience). 

And then there was Andi. Plain except for evil looking green eyes, currently dressed all in black to add to the effect. She had no friends because she wasn't mean enough for Slytherins or nice enough for the rest of the school. The teachers mostly ignored her, except for Snape and McGonagall, who yelled at her because of course she could never do anything right and because she wasn't her supremely intelligent brother the hardworking Hufflepuff. 

It didn't help that she loved her brother very much, and was torn between wanted to be like him and wanting to be better than him. 

"Of course not," she said cheerfully, even adding a smile (abliet a weak one) to go along with her reassurance. "It'll make me smarter than you." 

Sam grinned, obviously relieved. "Just checking." He pushed her door open a bit wider. "Andi, you room is a mess." He lifted his eyebrows at her. "Like I thought Neil's was bad, but you are definitely the clear winner for the messiest room award." 

"Gee, thanks," Andi said sarcastically. "Now would you excuse me? I'm studying for school." She waved to the various books lying around the room. Sam looked at her doubtfully, arching an eyebrow. 

"If you say so." He didn't sound like he meant it. But he left anyways. 

Andi glared at the closing door. Spying on Mrs. Black no longer seemed exciting. She looked around for something else to do, but all she could see was her schoolwork. Well, she definitely wasn't doing that. With the choice before her of good student and sneaky Slytherin, she once again took the more exciting road. 

Twilight was setting over their neighborhood, casting shadows over the darkening roofs. It was a mostly muggle neighborhood, and already nightly convocations had begun. The faint smell of tobacco filled Andi's nostrils as she opened her window (she'd always had a good nose) and she shook her head in disgust. Recently her childhood playmates had turned to darker pastimes. 

Then again, she wasn't really one to talk about that. 

"Accio Hippogriff!" It was a whisper, but a powerful one that sent the broom flying into her outstretched hand. She was good at charms, or at least better at them then most of the Slytherins. Charms were a bit too delicate for most of them.

She breathed on the red jewel on the omnicordor, turning it on and slipping the strap over her hand. She looked over her room. "I feel like I'm doing something stupid," she said dryly, feeling as though she had said something ironic without knowing why. "Verbal irony, to be precise," she elaborated, remembering elementary school grammer. "I wonder what my room knows that I don't?" 

She mounted the broom prototype with the ease and grace of someone who had practiced for many ears, and stuck the omnicorder to the front of the broom. When she'd first gotton it, she'd made the mistake of putting the omnicorder up to her eyes as it recorded and had had her perception confused for several days afterwards. Omnicorders took in absolutely everything around them, then create a globe for the viewer to watch. But the actually process of the recording looked like an eclipse that moved through frames hundreds of times faster than reality, throwing whoever was unfortunate enough to watch into not only an altered perception of dimension, but time as well. 

Andi had learned this all the hard way, and was now careful never to look at it until the red jewel at the top changed to blue. Omnicorders were generally very expensive, but it had been a birthday present from her mother one year who claimed she had gotten it for free through her job. Andi couldn't see how the International Department would need an omnicorder, but then again, why should she argue? 

Checking the night sky once more to make sure it was clear, she fluttered softly out. The had a large back yard that was blocked from the view of most by the Falco house on one end, Mrs. Figgs on the other and tall trees along the edges, which made it ideal for playing Quidditch. And for sneaking around. 

By now it was fully dark out, but just to be safe Andi clung to the trees as she moved slowly towards her neighbor's house. The fact that all the lights were off made the witch sure she had been right about her neighbor. No one was in bed by eight o'clock, not even old ladies. 

Andi flew softly so that she was just under the second floor window. Now that she was closer, she could see light coming from further in, casting figure like shadows on one of the walls. Andi moved up ever so slightly, and then even further so the omnicorder peeked in. 

Six people were in a room Andi had never seen before, and that was odd because she was certain she had seen all of Mrs. Black's house. It was an odd room, too, full of filing cabinets and desks and a strange gold sphere in the center. Mrs. Black and her dog were nowhere to be seen. 

Andi looked at the people more closely. Mrs. Figg was still there, a slender black cat perched on her shoulder that matched her neat black robes perfectly. Next to her, and arguing furiously with her if his shaking hands were any clue, was an elderly man with a long silver beard and a smile that wouldn't go away, though his eyes were deadly serious. A few feet away from them stood the oddest woman Andi had ever seen, dressed in flowing robes that kept changing color. Her hair, too, would flash different colors at different moments, but it seemed to be timed so that her hair would always clash with her robes. She reminded Andi strongly of Proffessor Trewalney, but that could have been because of the blank, unfocused look she had on her face. No, it wasn't unfocused, actually, it was extremely focused. Her mouth was set into a sharp frown, and she appeared to have no inclination whatsoever to be social. 

The other three occupants sat around a table closest to her, pouring over the files Andi had seen earlier. Andi gasped as she realized who all three of them were. 

The first was her second year DADA professor, Professor Lupin who had resigned after it became common knowledge that he was werewolf. He looked as tired and shabby as he ever looked, not at all the threatening menace he had somehow become in Andi's memories, but she still glanced superstitiously at thee moon and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only a quarter full. 

The second man was much older, and Lupin's successor at the DADA teaching job. Andi gasped as she once more saw the revolting glass eye, and had a momentary fear that he could not only see through walls but through the dark as well. But even his constantly jumping eyes seemed to pass right over her. If possible, he seemed even more nervous than usual, and much less sure of himself. 

Though seeing Lupin and Moody scared here, they were nothing compared to their companion. Andi had a fleeting thought that only she could see him, because everyone else in the room seemed to be perfectly comfortable with him. Of course, they might all be Death Eaters, but Andi, for whatever reason, trusted Lupin and Moody and even Mrs. Figg. 

Sitting not six feet away from her was Sirius Black. 

_Black,_ Andi's mind registered dully. _Of course. He's related to Mrs. Black._ She shivered, and it wasn't from the cold. 

Despite his years in Azkazban, and the years followed by them running from the Ministry, he looked like he could have been twenty. Clean shaven, long hair tied back in a neat ponytail, with eyes that were both mischevious and serious at the same time. He didn't resemble the picture of him in the wanted ads at all. 

For that matter, he didn't even look evil. Snape looked eviler. Actually, Snape probably was eviler. 

Something struck her about his looks that she couldn't quite lay a finger on. He was very handsome, she realized, but there was some sort of familiarity nagging in the back of her head. Somewhere she had seen him before, looking the way he does now. Or maybe someone he looked like. Not his mother. 

With a sudden jerk, Andi realized. 

Sirius Black looked almost exactly like her older brother. 

Andi blinked, once quickly, then again, more slowly. The resembelance wasn't definitely there. Their hair was exactly the same color, and it even looked like the same fineness. They had the same slightly crooked nose, and the same ears that stuck out just a bit too much. Their eyes were even the same shape, though different colors, each with long and thick eyelashes. 

Andi let in a long breath, and looked more closely. They still looked alike, but she was relieved that now she could point out some differences. Sameth's forehead was slightly bigger, his mouth slightly wider, and he was a good five inches taller than Sirius. But they still could have passed for cousins, a thought that chilled Andi. 

Three more figures apparated into the room, each suprising Andi more the previous one. Watching them, she didn't notice her one-eyed Proffessor whisper something to Sirius Black, or see Sirius Black nod and disappear. 

The first was not only one of her proffessors, but the one that represented her house. Professor Snape, looking even more annoyed and filthy than usual, apparated first. Something green flashed on his arm and Andi could see him clench his teeth in pain. 

Two more people came into substance next to him, each taking on of his arms over their shoulders to support him. One was Mrs. Black, evidently returned from wherever she had been. Her spectacles were pushed up as high as they could fit on her nose, and she looked extremely cross. 

Andi nearly fell off her broom as she looked at the last new arrival, none other than her missing Aunt Chiasma, the very same she addressed her diary to. 

Any emotion at the site of her aunt was cut short by a haunting bark just below her and a large, furry force that knocked the broom out beneath her. Dimly she realized that it must be Mrs. Black's new dog, but no dog could possibly jump that high. Actually, she'd seen the rats at the pet store in Diagon Alley could jump nearly as high, but they were enchanted. 

_Of course Mrs. Black would have an enchanted dog,_ Andi thought sourly, barely realizing as the dog started dragging both her and her broom away. She did notice, though, when he started pulling her up the steps in the most ungraceful movement she'd ever mad in her life. Her whole body ached so much by the time the rhythmic bump against her back stopped she was sure she'd never be the same. 

Then she was inside the room she'd been looking in earlier, only it was lit much more brightly then it had seemed from outside. Andi caught catches of the conversation. 

"…as bad as last time, really, Bessa, stop…" 

"…we know she's your niece, but you know who she married…" 

"…comes down to this. Who can we trust the fate of the wizarding community to?" 

Andi's stomach gave a lurch as she heard the last bit. The dog, evidently deciding she had heard enough, gave an impatient bark that sent silence into the room. Andi's vision was still slightly blurry, but she could feel aggravated pairs of eyes on her. 

"Camilla, dear what are you doing here?" Andi hear footsteps as her great aunt crossed the floor. A figured bending over blocked the light. "Sirius, what did you do to her?" Chiasma's voice became stern and disapproving. 

Her slowly returning vision registered a smug look on the dog's face, and she decided it was most definitely a weird dog. 

"This is the daughter of the woman you want me to trust?" Alastor Moody's sharp voice cut through the silence. "Probably sent here to spy on us by Voldemort himself!" 

Andi cringed at the name. "I was not!" She blurted out before she could stop herself. She wasn't usually one to speak without thinking, but that was the most insulting things anyone could have said to her. She sat up, ignoring the dizziness in her head, and surveyed the faces around her. Some were pitying, some some angry, others blank. The dog layed a comforting head on her shoulder and growled. 

"So that's who was spying on us." But Mrs. Black sounded amused, almost pleased. "What does that prove, Moody, other than she's smart and nosy? These days, they can be a dangerous pair, but more to the bearer than the people around her and it certainly doesn't make her evil." Andi sensed approval in her neighbor, but she couldn't understand why. 

"I've had dumber students," Snape commented sourly. He was scowling. "Eviler, definitely." He sneered at her, and Andi somehow felt he meant it as an insult. 

"She's in Slytherin!" Moody sound outraged. "And yet you tell me, trust her mother!" 

Snape's voice became dangerous and low. "So," he hissed, murder on his face, "was I." 

Lupin rushed in the middle of the glare thrown daggars. "We've been over this before." His voice almost became the aggressive werewolf's that Andi had imagined. "We're supposed to work with eachother." 

"It's my job to mistrust people," Moody retorted angrily, face purple. Everyone in the room seemed to have forgotton Andi. 

"No, Moody." The old man in the corner piped up for the first time, shaking his finger angrily at Moody, who was at least a foot taller than him. "It's your job to trust whoever Dumbledore says to trust." 

Again, Andi spoke without thinking. "Dumbledore? But…but…Sirius Black…Dumbledore?" Her voice came out as a disbelieving stutter. 

"Yes, Falco." Another loathing sneer appeared on Snape's face, but instead of being directed at her it was directed at the dog next to her instead. "Dumbledore trusts the spawn of muggle filth, the man the ministry would most love to get their hands on, the…" 

"You forgot to say the man whose going to kill you when this is all over." The hatred in this new voice matched Snape's to the letter. Andi didn't turned around, because she knew who she would see. And now she knew who the dog was, too. 

"Yes, I was about to say murderer." Snape flashed. His nostril's were flaring like a bull's, but his eyes had become slitted like a snake. 

"Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" Their was a light growl in the convicts voice, like the dog he could transform into. 

"Sirius," Lupin began warningly. He stopped suddenly as he noticed noticed the old man playing with Andi's omnicorder. "Deladus, what are you doing?" He asked, unbelieving. 

The man called Deladus turned around, seriousness gone as his green eyes flashed with excitement. "Look at this!" he exclaimed, tossing in lightly in the air. "Have you ever seen anything like it? So ingenious!" 

"It was a birthday present from my mother," Andi said slowly, surprised that the odd man hadn't seen one before. "She said she got it from the Ministy." 

"It was made for the Department of Mysteries years ago, but it got recalled shortly afterwards," Moody said equally slowly, giving Andi a long, judging look. "About the time your father…" 

"Moody!" Mrs. Figg interrupted sharply. "We have to put a memory charm on her, remember, and information like that would make it ten times harder for us to make her forget! Speaking of which," she turned to Andi sternly, roling up her sleeves and drawing up her wand, "_Obliviate!_" 

Well, that was just chapter one, I'll write lots more if you guys r/r! Please please please! And I'll even find song lyrics to go with some of the chapters! 


	2. Chapter Two: 101 Things You Didn't Want ...

A/N Well, here's the second part. We have Malfoy, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and of course Andi. And two newcomers with a new teacher. Harry's been doing weird stuff, Ginny's been watching him do weird stuff, Malfoy's been hearing (and passing along) weird stuff, and Andi is highly intrigued by the whole thing. R/R! 

I'm more than a bird 

I'm more that a plane 

I'm more than some pretty face 

Beside a train 

And it's not easy to be me 

I wish that I could cry 

Fall upon my knees 

Find a way to lie 

About a home I'll never see 

It may sound absurd 

But don't be naive 

Even heroes have the right to bleed 

I may be disturbed 

But won't you conceive 

Even heroes have the right to dream 

And it's not easy to be me 

-Five for Fighting, "Superman" 

The Slytherin Diaries:101 Things You'd Rather Not Know The Day Before School Starts 

Tuesday, September First 

_Dear Chiasma, _

It's been a long, long day. To say the very least. I guess you could say it started with an extremely weird dream. Only I can't remember what I dreamed. Well, yes I can. It was about my father. But that's all I know. I don't remember what happened, or what he looked like, or anything like that. Just that he was there. And I think I was mad at him about something (like not being here for the past fourteen years of my life! Small wonder, but anyhow). 

Mum decided she needed to play the part of an extremely anxious mother today, and got us all up at the crack of dawn. She needn't have bothered. Granted, I'm not the most organized of people, but even I was finished packing a couple days ago. Actually, I think she was going to all this trouble because poor Nilesie-poo was going off to big bad Hogwarts for the first time. I don't think she made a fuss when I_ went my first time, but then again, I don't think she did for Sam either. Mum just thinks of Niles as the baby of the family, and it's as much his fault as hers. _

So we were (in my increasingly annoying mother's words) "Up and at 'em!" (Note the false brightness, please) long before any decent human wizard would consider getting up at. Though I can't really vouch for veelas. They're just weird. 

Needless to say, we were among the first at Kings Cross. Sameth had decided to join us, feeling oddly fraternal for a change. I should make a mental note of that. Or write it on paper. Which I obviously just did. Please excuse my weird mood. This is what happens when a certain person who shall remain nameless (though if Mum were here right now, I'd be glaring at her) wakes me up way too early. I need my beauty sleep. Speaking of sleep, a some second year was trying to scare some of the newbies by telling them I slept in a coffin. I wasn't sure whether to burst out laughing or turn bright red. I think I did both. Oh well. Another fun filled embarrassing year. 

But I'm getting off track again. The scene at platform 9 ¾ this year was probably the worst I've ever had. You try having a mother has all of a sudden gotten all emotional, a brother close to tears, another brother giving you the "be good this year" lecture, and a Malfoy watching it all. Three Malfoys, actually. Ewwwwwwwww. !!!!!! (In case you didn't get the point). 

"Niles, you can walk right through it, I promise!" Even Mrs. Falco was beginning to get irritated with her youngest son, who was stubbornly refusing to believe he could walk through a solid wall. 

"It's some sort of test, isn't it?" Niles demanded, his blue eyes beginning to water. "And if I don't get through I'll never be able to go to Hogwarts!" His little chin was shaking pathetically. Andi rolled her eyes at Sameth, who gave her an amused "be patient" look. 

"No, dear, really, you just walk right in!" The boy's mother said brightly, giving him a 'little' push that sent him sprawling into the wall and scattering his books everywhere. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry…I thought you'd be able to get through…" Mrs. Falco sighed as she began helping Niles pick up his books. "Sam, Andi, come help…" 

But Andi had much bigger worries on her mind. Striding toward them was none other than the Malfoy entourage, complete with servants and house elves to carry all of Draco's personal belonging's. Malfoy, for a brief but rare second, didn't have his usual sneer. In fact, he looked downright worried. Andi would have been astonished if he hadn't replaced it by an ugly sneer almost the second he saw her. But even then, his eyes nervously darted around as though he were looking for someone. 

Andi didn't have much time to think about that, though. She couldn't even look at Malfoy…or any Malfoy, for that matter, without turning red in fury…and embarrassment. So she turned to her mother instead. 

Elizabeth Falco had an expression on her face her daughter had never seen before. Her expression contorted into a fury, her face turned pale in deathly rage, and her eyes narrowed into little slits. 

But she wasn't looking at Draco, or even Lucius. She was looking at a willowy blonde, her face perfectly smooth despite the age that showed in her eyes and limp hair. She stood tall and straight, and she matched Mrs. Falco's expression with a purely livid one of her own. 

Lucius Malfoy watch with interest as the silent hatred grew mutually, while his son scowled. 

"I'm leaving," he said sourly. "Can't stand being around no-house filth." Draco glared at Andi, who lowered her eyes so he wouldn't see the tears that spurted into her eyes. Draco glared at Sam, too, but Sameth Falco glared right back and Draco had to break off first. With a sound that strongly resembled a growl, he grabbed his cart from one of the servants and shoved it through the barriar. 

Mrs. Falco, without moving her venomous look from Narcissa Malfoy, said in a perfectly cheerful voice, "See, Niles? I told you you could just go right through the wall." 

That comment, of course, drew muggle attention. Lucius glared at the wide mouthed passerby's with hatred almost equal to his wife's. Andi decided they weren't really a happy family, not if they could have that much hatred. 

Which made Andi shiver, because her own mother certainly held a lot of hatred just then. 

She decided to follow Draco's idea (something she never thought she'd do), and push her way through the barriar before anyone could tell otherwise. She felt slightly bad about leaving Sam to deal with Niles and their distraught mother, but she consoled herself by reminding herself that she was a Slytherin, after all. Slytherin's didn't care about anyone but themselves. 

"What was that about?" A cold voice drawled behind her. "You're mom hating mine, I mean. I don't know anyone who likes _your_ mom, though I admit Mother's reaction was a bit excessive." Draco creaked his cart next to hers. 

"How should I know?" Andi snapped irritably. She was disliking Draco more by the second. "You're the one who seems to know so much more about my family than I do." 

Malfoy snorted, but it was the kindest snort Andi had every heard from him. Not that that was saying much, and he definitely still sounded slightly sinister. "What, you still don't know?" His eyes held condesedence and…pity? Andi wasn't sure. "Well, you'll find out soon enough." With that, he and his cart squeaked away. 

"I really hate him." Andi's eyes narrowed, and for an instant she was an exact replica of her mother. 

"Who doesn't?" Hermione Granger had appeared next to her, eyes steadily darkening as she watched Malfoy's retreating figure. She smiled slightly at the girl next to her, who had somehow just shrunk and made herself even shorter. "Did you have a good summer?" she asked politely. Andi nodded mutely, not wanted to mess up and say something unintentionally insulting. 

Her silence did that for her, though, and Hermione sauntered away. 

"Thanks for helping out back there," her brother's voice came dryly as he stepped up behind her. He didn't seem to angry, though…he was much too relieved that his mother hadn't killed Narcissa and Narcissa hadn't killed his mother. 

"Yeah, well, sorry." Andi said sourly, as she was understandably developing a rotten mood. "Have a great year." She pushed away. 

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Mum?" Sam called after her, sounding shocked. Andi froze for a second as a sudden fear, crept over her, but it vanished quickly. 

"No!" She shouted back, not turning around once until she reached the train, and not once even then. Something in her was shaking about what Sam had asked. Why she should she say goodbye? Her mother would always be there. Wouldn't she? 

Not wanting to talk to anybody (and not sure she could find anybody who wanted to talk to her), Andi dragged her trunk to the very back of the train and heaved it into an empty compartment, shutting the door firmly behind her. If she had been a good sister, she probably would have gone back, and helped her brother…but she wasn't a good sister. She wasn't even a good person, as she was constantly reminding herself. 

She sat there for a long time, staring at her reflection in the window. She had purposefully chosen the side away from the platform so that nobody would see her but the gloomy grey walls. 

The train started moving after a time, Andi wasn't sure how long, and the silent walls changed to the silent English countryside. The refreshment witch came by after awhile, but Andi wasn't hungry. She hadn't been really hungry in awhile, actually. 

She took her diary out of her trunk and looked at it for a little while, than put it back in the trunk. She didn't feel like writing just then. She didn't feel like she had anything to write about. 

After awhile she tipped the door open slowly, inviting anybody who might be in the corridors to come join her. Her own thoughts were poor company. 

But instead of people, voices drifted in. 

"Anything you can say to me, Malfoy, you can say to my friends as well." That was a voice Andi knew well from her dreams, if not reality. And the 'friends' were obiviously Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger. Intrigued, Andi slipped out into the corridor. Across the way and two compartments down, Draco stood leaning rigidly across the door frame. She could catch a glimpse of the imfamous Weasly red hair, but it was much too long and curly to be Ron's. 

"Not this one," Malfoy said, sneering. "You can tell them afterwards, if you really want to, but I think you'll have other people to tell first. Are you going to hear me out or not?" Draco was definitely tenser than Andi had ever seen him before, and paler, too, if that was possible. His voice, though, still blazed with frustrated fury. 

Andi could almost feel Harry considering. "Fine, then." Andi inhaled sharply as Draco began to turn, and dove under the table of the compartment across the hall. Which, unfortunately, turned out to be exactly where Draco led Harry Potter. 

They didn't notice her, of course, because no one ever did. And because she was cramped as far into the shadows as she could curl into. She studied the dust on her boots and prayed the two boys didn't decide to sit down next to the window. 

They didn't. Draco peered out cautiously in the corridor once more, and, after closing the door, sat smoothly on the edge of the seat. Harry remained standing. 

"Make it short, Malfoy," Harry practically hissed. 

Andi could see Malfoy's muscles tense in both anger and nervousness. "You know the main headquarters of the Ministry?" Unable to help himself, he added, "The big grey building with the pretty carvings?" 

"Well that describes about every building in London, but yes, actually, I do know the ministry building." Harry seemed more amiable than he had a moment ago, probably because he, like Andi, had finally noticed how tense Draco was and realized he had the upper hand. 

Andi could here Draco take a deep breath, and saw his feet twitch beneath the table. "It'll be gone by noon tomorrow if you don't do something." Draco let out a long breath, and his twitching abrubtly stopped as he pinioned Harry with a glare. Andi stifled a gasp, willing herself not to scream out. 

"And why are you telling me this, Malfoy?" Harry didn't sound like he even remotely believed Draco. "Wouldn't you be happy _if_ that happened?" 

Draco laughed low and venomously. "Have it your way, Potter. And when news comes in tomorrow that hundreds of witches and wizards have died, you'll know who to blame." Andi's heart was now thumping wildly as she thought of her mother. 

"How do you know this anyway, Malfoy?" Harry was trying to sound sure of himself, but his voice wavered. "You're Daddy told you?" 

"He doesn't know." Draco's voice sounded strained. "I found out from…someone else. And don't bother asking who. But the entire ministry's in your hand's now, so go be the hero everyone thinks you are." Andi was somehow reminded of her silent and loud arguments with her older brother, the arguments caused by her jealousy and his angelicness. Malfoy stood up and turned to go. 

"Figure's you'd be a coward." But it wasn't Harry who'd spoken. The compartment door slammed open, the slammed shut again. But Andi still couldn't see anyone. But… 

Unsure if she was seeing things, she watched three pairs of feet, followed by six legs, slowly appear right in front of her. One pair of immaculate black robes, two messy, repaired ones. Andi inched forward the tiniest bit to see if she could catch their faces. 

The first was Hermione, the second Ron. Both looked angry and disbelieving. Ron was glaring at the third person, whom Andi knew all too well from shared Transfiguration classes. Ginny Weasly stood next to her brother, at least half a foot shorter than Ron but glaring at Draco with fire in her eyes that matched her hair. 

"You're just going to pass the responsibility off to Harry and not do anything yourself?" Andi recognized Ginny's voice as the one that had spoken up earlier. 

"Ginny…" Ron looked pleadingly at his sister. "He's making the whole thing up." 

"No he's not!" But it wasn't Ginny who had spoken. Or Ron, or Hermione, or Harry. 

It was Andi. 

She wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew that Draco was telling the truth. A small voice in the back of her mind nagged that she was believing Draco for the same reason as Ginny; that is, because she had a lot to lose if Draco was right and nobody did anything. Family members she would never see again. But she also knew what it felt like to know something selfishly, and this didn't feel like it. It was almost as though she saw a crossroads in her mind, one with a ministry and one without. One with a mother, one full of tears. 

Slowly, five faces peered under the table and stared at her. Finally, Draco said, "Figures you'd be spying on us," he spat distastefully, but he looked almost glad to see her. That is, if Draco could ever look glad. It was an expression that spirited darkly around his mouth but didn't melt the ice of his eyes. 

Andi pushed herself up on to the bench with a total lack of grace and her cheeks burning, but she kept her chin high. "And the three of them weren't?" She tossed her head towards where Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were slowly standing up to look at her again. They all blushed slightly, Ginny most of all. 

"Even you're a step above those muggle lovers," Draco sneered, transferring his gaze from Hermione to Ginny and then to Ron. Hermione glared at Andi. She still hadn't forgiven her for earlier. Andi glared right back. She was sick of people misunderstanding her. Ginny noticed their silent interchange with a scowl. 

"Don't we have other things to deal with right now?" Ginny asked, running frustrated hands through her wavy hair. Though it looked smooth on the outside, it was apparently quite knotted on the inside and Ginny had to focus all her efforts on yanking her hand out of a mass of a red, tangled ball. Without a word Hermione handed her a brush that appeared somewhere within the folds of her robe. 

_Since when did Hermione the book worm carry a brush with her,_ Andi thought sourly, her thoughts no kinder to the older girl than her glare. It was then that she realized how much older Hermione looked than she had last year; much more refined, somehow, an image promoted partially by her silky hair. The bushy mane she had last year was no where to be seen. This didn't make Andi like her a single bit more. In fact, it only increased her jealousy. 

"What would you have to lose be telling someone?" Andi asked softly, her glance fleeting briefly up to Harry before returning downcast to the ground. His green eyes seemed even brighter than she remembered as he met her gaze for a fraction of an instant. 

"I dunno, dignity," Ron said sarcastically. His ears were slightly pink for no particular reason. Then Andi realized that he was looking at her, the redness of his ears slowly spreading to the rest of his face. 

_Great,_ she thought, annoyed. She felt like she should be pleased, someone was finally noticing her, after all, but she hadn't imagined her first love to be a freckled carrot (she made a mental note to herself never to refer to any boy as a vegetable again. The image it created in her mind wasn't exactly pleasing). 

"Okay, why don't I put this in simpler terms." Annoyance prevailed in her voice, and she let the others interpret it how they would. "What do you have to lose if you _don't_ tell somebody?" She arched a slender eyebrow, knowing that not a single one of them would be able to say no to that. 

Sure enough, Hermione and Ron cast their gazes downward and shifted their toes a little bit. Harry looked at Malfoy. Malfoy looked at Andi. Andi looked at Ginny, who gave her a pondering and indecisive look. She didn't smile, but she didn't frown, either. Just pondered. And looked slightly irritated, but not at Andi. More at Draco, who was still looking at Andi, and Harry, who was still looking at Draco. Andi felt distinctly uncomfortable. 

"What's stopping me from telling Dumbledore that you told me?" Harry's tone wasn't angry now, or even doubting, just thoughtful. But his eyes bore no less hatred than his arch enemy's. 

"Absolutely nothing." Draco smiled overly sweetly. A nervous smile, though, and a cold one. The one a gambler makes when he's gambling not only on chance but the person he's playing against. "But then I might have to let it slip what you've been doing this summer." 

The effect his words had on Harry was immediate. Almost before Andi could process what was going on, Harry had his wand pointed at Draco's head and a murderous glint in his eye. "You're bluffing," he hissed, green eyes blazing with a fury that came alive in his voice. Andi watched, transfixed like a rabbit on two dueling snakes. Ron and Hermione exchanged puzzled glances. Ginny looked grimmer than usual. 

"_Arretnimuleac_," Draco whispered. His eyes were narrowed dangerously, but Andi saw the hands he had clasped behind his back quiver the faintest bit. He was gambling on something, but Andi couldn't guess the stakes. "And no, Hermione," Draco said in a tone that mixed both dragon's fiery growl and cruel amusement. "It isn't in a dictionary. It's something I know about, and Harry knows about." And sure enough, Harry was paler than he had been right before he faced the Hungarian Horntail. He glared at Malfoy, but it was a helpless glare filled only with impotent rage. 

"We can't tell Dumbledore who told us," Harry said, sounding both furious and helpless at the same time. Andi decided that it was officially the sexiest voice ever. 

"Harry…" Hermione looked pleadingly at her best friend. "What is-" 

Harry cut her off abrubtly. "You can't tell anybody about this, Hermione! I can't tell you what he's talking about, and we can't tell Dumbledore. You have to-" 

"Prior Incantem," Draco said, lazily waving his wand at Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. "Now they won't be able to tell anyone." He sneered at the three, who all had very blank looks on their faces. 

"Ginny already knows," Harry muttered unwillingly. Andi tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible. She did not want her memory erased. 

"Falling for a Weasle?" Malfoy droned, twirling his wand idly in his hands. Harry didn't rise to the bait and Andi secretly promised herself she would do something really mean to Draco tomorrow. "So do we have a deal? You tell Dumbledore what you know without mentioning my name, and I won't mention all those experiments you've been doing." All traces of anxiousness were gone from his voice. He knew he had won this round, at least. 

Harry looked at Malfoy steadily for several moments. Without moving his gaze, he asked "What about Camilla?" Andi felt her insides turn over at the sound of Harry saying her real name. Even if he wasn't looking at her. 

Malfoy turned slowly and gave Andi a long, lingering look. Andi crossed her wand defensively over her chest. "Don't you dare," she said, trying to make her voice sound as menacing as possible. It wasn't very hard. She glared at Draco, daring him to raise his wand. 

Malfoy's wand hand didn't even twitch. "She won't say anything." He gave a cruel smile, as though enjoying some personal joke. 

Harry looked at the two Slytherin's, one in a defensive crouch with her eyes blazing and her wand held tense, the other leaning lazily against the wall but his eyes overly alert. Harry decided to leave whatever feud was between them stay between them. Sighing, he drew his dazed friends out of the cubicle. 

"One more thing, Potter," Draco drawled after Harry. "Don't tell re-enlight any of your friends about this if you want your secret to be kept." 

Harry didn't condescend to reply, but he turned slowly and his eyes held a deadly promise. A promise to Draco, certainly, but not one Andi was sure he would like. She shivered as Harry finally left. 

"Who says I'm not going to say anything?" Andi crossed her arms against her chest, boldly glaring at the fifth year. She kept her left hand clenched tight around her wand though, just for assurance. 

"Why would you?" Draco pointed out, smiling slightly. The smile didn't reach his eyes. 

"What would I have to lose?" Andi retorted, willing her voice not to shake. "Other than you're friendship, of course, and you know how much that means to me." Her brother had once told her that sarcasm was the refuge of the insecure. Well, it was working. 

Draco didn't answer her immediately. Instead, he stared out the window to the fragmented landscape, now oppressed by a heavy grey sky that matched his eyes. And they were heavy, Andi realized with a start. They were a cold grey, and therefore should have seemed to be light, but they weren't. They were weighted down, and they bore upon his dark expression like the sky on the fields. 

"If Dumbledore finds out I told Harry, he'll know who told me." He was still staring out the window, his voice composed and clipped to hide it's strain. "And that would ruin everything." He turned to face her, daring her to ask the question that must follow. 

She did. "And why should I care?" 

"Look in the papers tomorrow. You'll see someone you know, or should, whether or not Potter has the brains to stop the ministry from being blown up. And if you still can't figure it out, then, by all means, go tell Dumbledore." He smiled, knowing he had won on a gamble his opponent could only dream about. Andi glared at him, desperately trying to understand what she couldn't. It was something important, she knew, but she couldn't comprehend what. 

A large tabby cat, monstrous, actually, was determinedly swatting at the small crack in the door. The two occupants of the compartment didn't notice him, and he didn't much care for them either. He was much too busy trying to pounce on the winged rodent that stood just out of his reach. 

The cat and the bat glared at eachother in much the same manner as the two Slytherins. For they had both heard the entire conversation, and they were each determined not to let the other one get away to tell anyone else. 

_… Is it that much to ask just to have a normal life? Looking back, I'm not sure whether or not I believe Draco. He isn't exactly the most honest person in the world. But what does he have to gain by lying? On the other hand, what does he have to gain by telling the truth? UGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!! Life should not be confusing and complicated like this. You know, if I had just gotten into Hufflepuff, I could have gone off and lived happily ever after (my brother seems to be doing a fine job of it) and thought about normal things like boys and friends and boys and school and boys (not that I don't). But no. Instead, I get to think about how Draco's going to humiliate me today, whether I'll officially get kicked out of Hogwarts seeing as I don't belong in any of the houses, or whether the whole dumb ministry's about to blow up! I'm fourteen! This is not what I want to think about. It's all that stupid hat's fault. If it hadn't put me in Slytherin, I wouldn't have to worry about Draco, or the ministry, or any other nastily annoying thoughts that just randomly pop up in in my head because they prefer to reside there. _

Then again, I might not have met Loretta and Garett… 

"Hello!" The girl's voice was not at all shy, but then again, Andi couldn't see any reason why she should be shy. She was tall, almost as tall as Harry (whom Andi had noted had had a growth spurt) with a figure that could have stepped off the Wizarding Wear Annual Fashion Show runway. She wore loose robes, but they only draped themselves nicely over her instead of making her seem bulky, and her dark brown hair rivaled Hermione's for shine. She smile, and displayed a full row of white teeth that, though slightly jagged on the bottom surface, were perfectly straight. "Do you mind if I sit here?" She indicated the empty seat next to Andi. Actually, she indicated one of the empty spaces next to Andi. There were two. As usual, she had been sitting by herself, alone with her thoughts and unwanted food. 

Andi shook her head and gave a weak attempt at a bitter smile. It had been too long a day for her to feign politeness. The small, curious side of her that still functioned (to some extent) wondered who this girl was. The sorting ceremony was over, and though Andi hadn't really paid attention she was almost positive this girl hadn't been Sorted. Besides, she looked far too old to a First Year. A third year, maybe, bit probably fourth or above. Definitely not a teacher. So what was she doing here? 

"I'm Loretta Alucard.," the girl said, almost as though she were reading Andi's thoughts. Me and my brother just moved here from Scotland." She smiled again. Her accent, though very distinct, didn't sound the least bit Scottish, but Andi couldn't place where she had heard it. The name didn't sound very Scottish either. 

Loretta continued, seeing Andi's confused frown. "Our father is one of the new teachers." She pointed an impossibly tall and lean man at the head table whose silver hair shone like a star across the hall. He was picking at his food and listening to Proffessor Flitwick with a definite scowl. Loretta beamed with pride as she watched her father. "He's teaching Dark Arts." 

"Defense against Dark Arts," a new voice hastily corrected. Andi glanced up over her shoulder to find a younger, though still tall and lean, replica of Loretta's father. He was definitely _not_ a first year either. Far too handsome. Loyalty made Andi remind herself that Harry was cuter, but it was a close call. The boy's features were amiable but somehow tight, in a relaxed sort of way. Tense, almost. His hair was darker than Loretta's though still not quite black, and his eyes were the clearest blue Andi had ever seen, bluer even than Draco's. 

He took the seat on the other side of Loretta, whom Andi assumed was his sister. "I'm Garett," he told her with a smile that could have melted the coldest heart. Andi was forced to smile back. 

"Andi," Andi replied simply. She'd never been good at introductions. "Or Camilla Alassandra, but I'd much rather go by Andi. Much shorter. And less stuck up. And-" she broke off abrubtly as she realized she was rambling. Garett and Loretta exchanged an amused glance. 

"So…what year will you be in?" Andi asked, furiously trying to get her face to turn back to it's normal shade of color. 

"We're both fourth years," Loretta answered, smiling. "And before you ask-" (Andi had indeed opened her mouth) "-we're not twins. Gary's eleven months older." Garett smiled and nodded in assent. Loretta seemed impossibly pale, but Garett's skin was a much darker tan that set off his white teeth even more. 

"How did you get sorted?" Andi asked, hoping to keep Garett smiling because it was so nice to look at. Both siblings looked confused. "I mean, how did you get put in Slytherin?" 

"Oh!" Loretta exclaimed, understanding. Her voice seemed far too high for her tiny body. "The headmaster…" 

"Dumbledore," Andi supplied helpfully. 

Loretta nodded. "Had us put on this hat and it shouted out Slytherin." She shrugged. "Is that what everyone does?" 

"Yeah, though usually you have to go through this whole ceremony where you put on the hat in front of the entire school." Andi shivered, remembering her own sorting. Loretta laughed lightly, her merriment echoing through the hall like silver chimes. 

"Oh, I could never do that." She whispered, looking around the hall with her dark eyes dancing playfully. The sky above them was clear and coated in stars, casting plenty of light on the tables in a stark manner, instead of the gentleness of the flickering candles. 

"I wonder why they put you in Slytherin?" Andi mused aloud, staring at the the dark blue sky. Garett's expression darkened a bit, and Andi hastily continued in order to get his smile back. "I mean, they usually don't put such nice people in this House." She glared at the rest of her housemates. Emphasizing her point was the fight that had just broken out between Crabbe and some poor first year. Well, poor wasn't exactly the best description. Crabbe tried to stomp on him (apparently the first year had touched Malfoy's fork, and Crabbe hadn't approved), but his oppenent nimbly avoided the much bigger boy and bit him on the ear, sending Crabbe howling in pain. Andi turned back to her new housemates and raised an eyebrow. 

"But you're here," Loretta pointed out with another smile. "So it can't be all that bad." 

Andi turned bright red. 

_…Well, I caught a glimpse of Harry (probably because I was watching him the whole night) slipping off, so I'm sure he went to go talk to Dumbledore and the Ministry (and Mum) will be fine. So on to more important things. I have friends! I never had friends before, not since I came to Hogwarts. And then all of a sudden…do you ever get that feeling, where your heart is pounding so hard and you know your life will change forever, and you just can't wait for tomorrow? I just can't get over it all…I have friends! I'm still slightly anxious about tomorrow, though. After what Malfoy said, about the Ministry and the newspaper…but I have friends that can help me deal with whatever happens! I can't wait! I need to stop writing and go to sleep, because the sooner I go to sleep the sooner it will be tomorrow (and perhaps because Loretta just walked in and I can't let her know I write in a journal…how embarrassing…no offense, Chiasma). 

_

-Camilla Alassandra (or Andi to my friends !!!!!) 


End file.
